Turkey - Classic Turkey

10 days

from £2,250pp (excluding flights)

Providing a balance of fascinating history, unique culture, striking landscapes and delicious cuisine, this holiday idea to Turkey offers the perfect combination for the most memorable holiday.

Discover the very heart of the Ottoman Empire within the lavishly decorated Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

Haggle with vendors for magnificent carpets at the Grand Bazaar

Take to the skies in a hot air balloon at dawn to view the bewitching landscapes of Cappadocia

Explore the Aegean Coast, home to some of Turkey’s most noted sites of antiquity including Ephesus and Pergamon

Istanbul

Straddling the beautiful Bosporus, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, Istanbul is a transcontinental city, with a third of its population living in Asia, so from the art and architecture to the food and customs you can expect a melting pot of influences and flavours. With its heritage at the heart of two great empires, the Ottoman and Byzantine, the city is a dream for lovers of splendid palaces, opulent buildings and the religious and political history behind them. During your stay discover the very heart of the Ottoman Empire within the lavishly decorated Topkapi Palace, marvel at the past glories of the breath-taking Haghia Sophia, take a ferry trip along the Bosporus to view the lush parks, palaces and waterside mansions, haggle with vendors for magnificent carpets at the Grand Bazaar, treat your taste buds to local specialities and relax at the end of the day in a traditional Hamman.

Gallipoli - Canakkale - Izmir

From Istanbul you are driven through pleasant countryside to Gallipoli where you walk on the beach at Anzac Cove and visit the Lone Pine Cemetery and see the Turkish Memorial. From here you take a ferry to Canakkale where you spend the night before visiting Troy and the replica of the wooden Trojan Horse. Continuing on from here you are driven to the Aegean and Izmir. Along the way stop at the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon, including a visit to the Acropol and Asklepion. Izmir is considered the Pearl of the Aegean Sea.

Ephesus

After visiting Izmir you are driven to Ephesus, famous for its Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its cult to Artemis and Hellen civilisation with Heraclites and "Skotinos" philosopher of "Panta Rei". During the years of the Roman Empire, the Greek port of Ephesus became the greatest city in Asia Minor. On from Ephesus you continue to Sirince. Sirince retains its traditional architecture almost wholly intact, thanks to landmark rules which have been implemented since the 1980s. Most houses in the village date from the 19th century.

Cappadocia

The journey continues to the most striking region of Turkey, Cappadocia, a unique moonscape, where erosion has formed caves, clefts, fairy chimney’s and folds in the soft rock. It is possible to stay in luxurious cave hotels, set amongst these ancient dwellings, and see it as a base from which to explore this amazing area.

For a more detailed itinerary with great ideas on what to do and where to stay, please get in touch with our experts.

Itinerary at a glance

Istanbul is Turkey's largest city, its cultural and financial centre and the city where east famously meets west. With the western half of Istanbul in Europe and the eastern in Asia, separated only by the mighty and iconic Bosphorus, it is the only metropolis in the world that straddles two continents. It is truly one of the world's great cities.

Full Day City TourYour full day tour begins with a visit to the renowned Sultanahmet Mosque, known popularly as The Blue Mosque, an incredibly beautiful mosque known for its blue Iznik (Nicaea) tiles and six minarets. Continue on to the Hippodrome, once the vast arena that functioned as the heart of sporting events and political activities of the old city.

From here you continue to the nearby Hagia Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom. Ranking as one of the greatest marvels of world architecture, this awe-inspiring building was constucted as a basilica in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian. From here short walk to the Underground Cistern, the largest of the many underground cisterns built during the Byzantine Empire to supply the city with water. This cistern is especially fascinating because the Byzantine builders recycled many stone structures-capital heads and columns that had been used in earlier temples. Now an upside down Medusa stares out at you from her watery home.

Continue with a visit to the Topkapi Palace. This visit to the imperial palace of the Ottoman Sultans will include tours of the imperial treasury, the Chinese porcelain section, the calligraphy section and many more. Visit the jewellry collection segment of the palace. The tour will end with a visit to the Grand Bazaar, the vast and legendary covered market that is the biggest souk in the world with nearly 4000 shops of antiques, jewellry and carpets.

During the visit of the Grand Bazaar taste a Turkish coffee from Sark Kahvesi, historical coffee roasters located in the Grand Bazaar. Each variety has been prepared with a blend of traditional knowledge, experience and an abiding "Love of Coffee".

Half day visit to the Bab-Ali Gate and Dolmabahce PalaceHeading down past old Ottoman houses, arrive at what was once the most famous gateway in the Mediterranean: the Bab-i Ali or Exalted Gate, known in the west as the Sublime Porte. Now sitting almost unnoticed, for 300 years from the mid-15th century on, this gateway to the offices of the grand vizier and the Ottoman ministry of foreign affairs was a symbol of power.

Head out to the shores of the Bosphorus to visit Dolmabahce Palace. This baroque palace was built between 1843 and 1856, by Sultan Abdulmecid and was served as the main administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire. The Palace has over 300 rooms including an enormous throne room, the largest chandelier in the world, and the Harem, the living quarters of the Sultan and his entourage.

Later take a cruise on the Bosphorus with a regular boat. Cruise up Istanbul's winding straits and relax and admire the shoreline of beautiful mosques and lavish palaces. You'll see Dolmabahçe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Ottoman summer mansions, the Ortaköy Mosque, the defensive Rumeli Fortress, and the Bosphorus Bridge, one of the world's largest suspension bridges, all while passing fishing boats, yachts, huge cargo ships, and tankers.

Drive to Canakkale, stopping en route to visit Gallipoli. Walk on the beach at ANZAC Cove, visit the Lone Pine Cemetery and see the Turkish Memorial. Also visit the moving ANZAC Museum before crossing the Dardanelles by ferry to Canakkale where youl check into your hotel. Journey time of approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes.

After breakfast visit ancient Troy where you see its legendary walls and the replica of the wooden Trojan Horse. From here the journey towards the Aegean and Izmir. Along the way stop at the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon, including visits to the Acropol and Asklepion. Late afternoon continue the drive to Izmir. Once in Izmir 'the Pearl of the Aegean Sea' have a short sightseeing tour of the city.

Tonight experience a short ride on a Phaeton/Fayton (typical horse carriage) in Izmir along the famous shore promenade called Kordonboyu.

After breakfast drive to Ephesus, famous for its Temple of Artemis - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its cult to Artemis and its Hellen civilisation with Heraclites the "Skotinos" philosopher of "Panta caRei". During the years of the Roman Empire, the Greek port of Ephesus became the greatest city in Asia Minor. Upon arrival at Ephesus follow your guide to enter this ancient site through the Magnesian Gate and discover innumerable monuments including the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scolastika and the Great Theatre built in the Hellenistic period, which is still noted for its remarkable acoustics, and is where St Paul preached. Also visit Virgin Mary's House.

Continue to Sirince. A paved road of 8 km leads to this attractive village set in the hills above Ephesus, surrounded by an idyllic landscape of vineyards and peach orchards. Sirince retains its traditional architecture almost wholly intact, thanks to landmark rules which have been implemented since the 1980s. Most houses in the village date from the 19th century. After visit to village, stop at the Sirince Artemis Wine House for the wine tasting.

Late afternoon continue to Pamukkale, "the Cotton Castle" with its snow-white terraces formed by thermal waters cascading down the hillside.

Translated as 'Cotton Palace', Pamukkale is the Turkish name for the hill upon which the city of Hierapolis was built. Famous for the bright white mineral deposits that cover it, the site is now protected by law.

A village that shares the same name is located adjacent to the site and, although a tiny place, it offers great views of the calcite shelves. Within the village, there is the chance to buy some of the region's famous cotton and home wares.

Travel from Konya to Cappadocia, a journey of approximately four hours.

Central Anatolia's mountain lined plains hide a unique land of fairy chimneys and valleys full of underground cities. The spectacular landscape of Cappadocia is entirely sculpted by erosion.

Mevlana MuseumThe Mevlana Museum (Mevlana Müzesi), also known as the Green Mausoleum or Green Dome, is the original lodge of the Mevlevi Whirling Dervishes, a mystical Sufi Muslim group. It containes the tomb and shrine of the Mevlana, or Rumi, which remains an important place of pilgrimage.

Half Day Sightseeing of Kaymakli & MustafapasaMeet with your guide to commence your sightseeing of this unusual lunar-like landscape. Start with exploring Kaymakli underground city with its multi-level passageways, which date back to the Hittites when they were used for shelter, protection and storage. This is a fascinating experience and a definite must see, but do be aware there are quite a few steps in places and narrow corridors. If you suffer with bad claustrophobia you may want to give this a miss.

Afterwards visit Mustafapasa, a town that until 1924 was the Sinasos of the Greeks. See the huge mansions with their elaborately carved door and window frames. See the medrese, a Greek Orthodox school and the beautiful rock-cut churches and chapels.

Full Day SightseeingThis morning meet with your guide for a full day sightseeing. Explore Devrent Imagination valley with its unusual shaped rock formations, the fairy chimneys and Zelve Open-Air museum. This monastic retreat lies in a series of deep valleys and is dotted with rooms and caves on many levels. This afternoon visit Avanos, a pretty leafy town noted for its pottery and ceramics. Watch a pottery demonstration using traditional methods, before continuing to see Uchisar Castle and Goreme open air museum with the greatest concentration of rock-cut chapels and monasteries in Cappadocia. Take a hike through pigeon valley and finish your day visiting a local vineyard where you can sample some of the local wines that are made in the region.

Kate Hitchen, Travel Expert

"Kate was calm and bent over backwards to accommodate my jitters about going to Kashmir in the light of tighter FCO guidelines just a few days before our departure. She was absolutely correct in advising against what I thought we should do. Several times during the holiday we said that, 'Kate was dead right about that!'."

"We asked for a rather particular kind of Indian holiday. You delivered it in full. Highlights? Honestly, each day was a highlight in itself. "